Bonifacio leads Royals' entries to Arizona Fall League

They include No. 5-ranked Jorge Bonifacio, an outfielder and the brother of current Royals infielder Emilio Bonifacio. The younger Bonifacio has played with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Class A Wilmington and Rookie Surprise this summer, batting .299 with four homers and 52 RBIs in 87 games.

Also assigned to the Peoria Javelinas are the No. 8 and No. 9 Royals prospects, shortstop Orlando Calixte and third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert, respectively. Calixte has a .248 average, eight homers and 35 RBIs in 116 games for Northwest Arkansas. Cuthbert, in 118 games for Northwest Arkansas and Wilmington, is batting .256 with eight homers and 59 RBIs.

The other ranked player is No. 18, right-handed pitcher Jason Adam, who is 8-11 with a 5.45 ERA in 25 starts for Northwest Arkansas. He's a Kansas City area product, selected in the fifth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft from Blue Valley Northwest High School.

Among the other four players is left-handed pitcher Noel Arguelles, who was 1-8 with a 5.93 ERA in 25 games (11 starts) for Northwest Arkansas, but is now rehabbing with Surprise.

Also on the Javelinas' roster are: Right-handed pitchers Angel Baez, 3-1 with a 4.02 ERA in 12 games for Wilmington and Surprise and Malcom Culver, 5-5 and a 2.85 ERA in 37 relief appearances for Wilmington, and outfielder Lane Adams, who has a .270 average, 12 homers and 65 RBIs in 124 games for Northwest Arkansas and Wilmington. Adams will be on the taxi squad, available on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Javelinas will play at Surprise Stadium because the Peoria complex is being renovated. The 22nd AFL season runs from Oct. 8 through Nov. 16.

Replacing Davis in rotation, Duffy starts Wednesday

MINNEAPOLIS -- Left-hander Danny Duffy will make his third start for the Royals on Wednesday night against the Twins, replacing right-hander Wade Davis in the rotation.

"Duffy is going to move into his spot, with Wade in the 'pen," manager Ned Yost said.

Left-hander Bruce Chen, who was originally scheduled to start on Wednesday, will face the Twins on Thursday afternoon instead.

Since undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 13, 2012, Duffy has been on the road back. He made his first Major League start since the elbow surgery on Aug. 7 against the Twins, giving up two runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He returned to pitch on Aug. 16 at Detroit, shutting out the Tigers on one hit over six innings.

Since then, Duffy pitched once for Triple-A Omaha and went five shutout innings against New Orleans. For the Storm Chasers this year, Duffy was 3-0 with a 4.08 ERA in 12 games.

"We haven't given up on making the playoffs," Yost said. "We want Duffy on our playoff roster. And if we do make the playoffs, we're probably going to go with three starters and Wade is going to be in the 'pen at that time, so we might as well get him acclimated the last month."

Yost also pointed out that Davis, who has pitched 125 1/3 innings this season, is already 55 innings over the 70 1/3 innings he logged last season, when he worked out of the Tampa Bay bullpen.

Davis has a 6-10 record and 5.67 ERA in 24 starts.

"He had some really good games and some really bad games and not a bunch of games in between that," Yost said.

The Royals also want to build up Duffy's innings with an eye toward next season. So far, in the Minors and Majors combined, Duffy has thrown 78 2/3 innings.

When Duffy and Luke Hochevar, who is on paternity leave, arrive on Wednesday, the Royals will have to drop two players off the 25-man roster.

"We're looking at a bunch of different scenarios, and it all revolves around our playoff roster," Yost said.

Illness keeps Moustakas out of lineup

MINNEAPOLIS -- Third baseman Mike Moustakas was out of the Royals' lineup on Tuesday night against the Twins because of illness.

"Moose has got strep throat. He started coming down with it yesterday," manager Ned Yost said. "He felt terrible with the heat and everything and got run down. He came here last night and woke up this morning with a 101 temperature. He's got all the white spots in the back of his throat, very bad sore throat."

With the Twins starting left-hander Andrew Albers on Wednesday night, Yost isn't in a hurry to get the left-handed-hitting Moustakas back in the lineup.

Yost said that Moustakas would come to Target Field for treatment during the game on Tuesday night and probably return to the team hotel to rest.

Moustakas, who has been recovering from a calf injury, was pulled for a pinch-runner in the sixth inning on Monday after getting his second RBI hit in the 11-1 romp over Tampa Bay.

"I got him out after the sixth inning yesterday and it was more to protect his leg. I'm glad I did now," Yost said.

Bench coach Cadahia leaves team for personal reasons

MINNEAPOLIS -- Bench coach Chino Cadahia has left the Royals because of a personal family matter, the club announced on Tuesday.

Tony "TJ" Tijerina, the Royals' Minor League field coordinator, will fill in for Cadahia on a temporary basis.

Tijerina has been in the organization since 2007, when he managed Double-A Wichita. He previously spent 16 years in the Mets' organization, including six as a catcher.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.